R. Kelly’s history of abuse exposed in new series

By Peter Zemeske

R&B star R. Kelly is the subject of the new Lifetime documentary series, “Surviving R. Kelly.” The six-part series, which aired from Jan. 3 to Jan. 5, contains testimonies about Kelly’s life from family members, friends, victims of sexual assault and collaborators. The series proves why Kelly needs to be shunned from the music industry and be criminally charged with the years of abuse he has denied and gotten away with.

Robert Sylvester Kelly’s musical career has been riddled with allegations of abuse and sexual misconduct from women, usually stating they were underage when the abuse happened. The first accusations in Kelly’s career were regarding his marriage with Aaliyah Haughton, who was 15 years old at the time on Aug. 31, 1994. Kelly was 27 years old when the couple became engaged.

Haughton later admitted to lying about her age on the marriage certificate and wanted the marriage records expunged after her family sparked the nullification of the marriage, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. From then until now, women have stepped forward claiming Kelly initiated sexual relations with them when they were underage.

The allegations hit a peak in July 2017 when Buzzfeed contributor Jim DeRogatis posted an article about how a couple is worried that their daughter is being manipulated by Kelly into a sexual relationship. It was later revealed in a CNN article the couple is Timothy and Jonjelyn Savage and their daughter in question is Joycelyn. Joycelyn later spoke with TMZ denying that she’s being held against her will or forced to do anything she doesn’t want. Even with Joycelyn’s claims, she has cut off communication from her family and withheld her location.

Kelly has denied every claim brought against him and hasn’t been found guilty of any accusation. That might change after a CNN article claimed the Fulton County District Attorney in Georgia is launching an investigation into accusations against Kelly just days after “Surviving R. Kelly” aired. With any luck, Kelly will be brought to justice for his crimes.